Educational activities with evaluations

Task 1 objective

By the end of this task, students will be able to recognize the advantages of cooperation through reading A Good Team, by Anastasia

Instructions

• Guide students in their reading of the book, A Good Team.
• For example, hide the book’s title and ask students about the cover illustration
• Examine the front and back covers, as well as the first two pages of the book and ask students questions
• Read the book with the students, draw attention to the cooperative aspects of the story and the illustrations, and then ask students questions.
• Read until the end and ask questions.

Task 1 objectives

By the end of this task, students will be able to write a story that highlights cooperative values, using the narrative structure provided.

Instructions

• After reading A Good Team, lead students in an activity that highlights cooperative values: write a cooperative story
• Ask students to name cooperative values needed for teamwork: solidarity, equality, equity, leadership, personal and mutual responsibility, democracy. Hang the Cooperative values poster in the classroom
• Explain the narrative structure to students.
• Clearly communicate the goal of the activity: to write a story with peers using the narrative structure and at least one cooperative value
• Make 4 working groups while being careful to spread strengths as equitably as possible. Consult the sociogram test.
• Explain the roles and responsibilities (see Cooperative roles). Assign a role to each student and give them the appropriate badges.
• Ask the facilitator of each team to provide guidelines (see Example of different story beginnings)
• Ask the organizer to distribute a different story beginning to each team member. The goal is to create a continuation of the stories that highlights a cooperative value
• Once all the stories are written, ask the facilitator of each group to read one of the four stories. Each team must choose a story that:
  • Respects narrative structure
  • Includes at least one cooperative value
  • Seems most interesting
• Ask the harmonizer:
  • to help the group separate the chosen story into four parts
  • to invite each member of the team to illustrate a part of the story
  • to make sure everyone on the team collaborates

Task 1 objectives

By the end of this task, you will have evaluated students cooperative work through their use of "winning practices".

Instructions

• Have each group share with the class a winning practice of their teamwork by giving an example. Have the team’s secretary write down the responses
• Invite one student per group to congratulate a member of their own or another team who demonstrated exceptional winning practices. Ask the team secretary to write down the congratulations
• Ask each Ask each secretary, one by one, to read aloud the congratulations and winning practices of their teams, one by one, to read aloud the congratulations and winning practices of their teams.

Task 2 objectives

By the end of this task, you will have begun evaluating students' competencies and abilities to cooperate.

Instructions

• Have students change a ”competitive” game into a cooperative game or simply improve an existing game to make it more cooperative.
• In teams of 4, plan how the game will work with the modifications, and work together to find a way to explain it to the class and lead a round of it.
• Continue with the roles (organizer, facilitator, harmonizer, secretary) used to tell a cooperative story. All members of the team must think about how best to present the modified game and share their explanations.
• During the activity, ask the team secretary to write down the details of the working process that relate to cooperative competencies.
• Following each presentation, ask for the group’s comments on each game.
• Play the different games created.

Task 3 objectives

By the end of this task, you should be able to measure competencies related to knowledge of narrative structure based on a student’s written story.

Instructions

• Have students write a story based on a seasonal theme (winter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc.) while following the narrative structure.
• As a group, invent a shared story beginning and determine the traits of the protagonist and secondary characters.
• Ask students to illustrate the main and secondary characters based on the characteristics chosen.
• Post the drawings in the classroom and select those that most closely match the descriptions.
• Have students write a story outline that follows the narrative structure and the characters’ main traits.
• Allow them to write their story, they can consult the list of connecting words to better connect their ideas between sentences.
• Reread stories to ensure the use of different elements of the narrative structure. Verify the quantity and relevance of ideas linked to character traits and the purpose for writing.
• Review the use of English language competencies (spelling, singular/plurals, conjugation, syntax and punctuation) as you normally would in class.
• Ask students to write out a final copy of their story by hand or on the computer and to write their name on it.
• Have students make an illustration to accompany their story and sign it.
• As a team, make a cover page and title page for the collection of stories.
• Suggest that students swap stories between them and everyone read at least one of their peers’ stories.
• As a group, democratically choose a title for the collection of stories.

Task 1 objectives

By the end of this task, students will be able to apply the values of cooperative play.

Instructions

• Have students that are 8–9 years old engage in a cooperative playground activity with younger children, 6–7 years old, to introduce the younger ones to cooperation.
• The older children are divided into teams. Each team must :
  • find a cooperative game
  • be prepared to explain the game to the younger children
  • share their understanding of the game with another team
  • play the cooperative game among themselves to be prepared to lead with activity with the younger students

Task 2 objectives

By the end of this task, students will be able to share and promote cooperative values by leading cooperative games.

Instructions

• Have the older students present the story written in Task 1 to the children aged 6–7, emphasizing cooperative values.
• Ask the older students to apply these values in the context of a cooperative game and to explain to the younger children, in their own words, how the game works.
• Ask students aged 8–9 to ensure that the younger children know cooperative values and respect the rules of the game.
• Ensure that the older children respect cooperative values when playing and help the younger children as needed.